Direct Relief Appoints Jeff Berman and Curt Menefee to Board of Directors

Direct Relief announces the appointments of Jeff Berman and Curt Menefee to its Board of Directors, welcoming two accomplished leaders during one of the most significant periods of growth and global expansion in the organization's 77-year history. Active in all 50 U.S. states and 94 countries, Direct Relief provided more than $2 billion in medical humanitarian aid to those in need in 2025 and continues to expand its reach through long-term partnerships that strengthen healthcare systems and improve access to care before, during, and after emergencies.

Together, they bring decades of leadership across public service, media, technology, and business, with experience guiding organizations through periods of growth, innovation, and change.

The appointments reflect Direct Relief's commitment to bringing together leaders from healthcare, finance, law, philanthropy, logistics, technology, communications, and business to help guide one of the world's largest humanitarian medical organizations. Recognized by Forbes and Devex as one of the largest U.S.-based international NGOs, Direct Relief continues to grow in scale and complexity while responding to health emergencies and strengthening healthcare systems worldwide.

"Direct Relief is operating at an extraordinary scale, and strong governance is essential to ensuring the organization continues to deliver on its mission," said Harry McMahon, Direct Relief's Board Chair. "Jeff and Curt each bring exceptional leadership and experience that will strengthen our Board and support Direct Relief's work for years to come."

Jeff Berman

Berman joins the Board following a distinguished career spanning public service, technology, media, and entrepreneurship. He began his career as a public defender representing children facing life imprisonment before serving as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and Staff Director of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts.

He later held senior leadership roles during pivotal moments in the evolution of digital media, serving as President of MySpace during its peak influence before overseeing digital media for the National Football League and leading Whalerock Industries, where his team became the first to simultaneously hold seven of the top ten applications in Apple's App Store.

Most recently, Berman co-founded Magnet Companies, where he helped launch TOGETHXR and led the firm's Series A investment in Dear Media before serving as Chief Executive Officer of WaitWhat and co-hosting the Masters of Scale podcast alongside Reid Hoffman. He has served on boards of a range of companies & NGOs, including Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce), Brud (acquired by Dapper Labs), and Protect Democracy.

Curt Menefee

Menefee is one of America's most respected sports broadcasters, serving as co-host of FOX NFL Sunday, the nation's most-watched NFL pregame show for more than three decades. In 2024, he expanded his role at FOX by becoming co-host of Good Day New York, where he continues to engage audiences through one of the country's highest-profile local morning news programs.

Throughout his career, Menefee has earned multiple Emmy nominations and numerous journalism honors, including the Associated Press Award for Best Sports Reporter in New York and four Katie Awards. He is also the author of Losing Isn't Everything, serves on the Board of Trustees of Coe College, and earned a master's degree in public policy and administration from Northwestern University. Having traveled to nearly 100 countries across all seven continents, Menefee brings a broad global perspective and longstanding commitment to education and public service.

"We are living through a period of extraordinary humanitarian need, as crises around the world increase in scale and complexity," said Amy Weaver, CEO of Direct Relief. "That environment demands leaders who understand complex systems, question assumptions, and bring people together to solve difficult problems. Jeff and Curt have demonstrated those qualities throughout their careers, along with the judgment and intellectual curiosity that will make them tremendous additions to the Direct Relief Board. I am delighted to welcome them both."

The Direct Relief Board of Directors serves three-year terms.

A full list of Direct Relief's Board of Directors and leadership is available here.